Euchre Card Game

Four-Hand Euchre
Euchre is played with a pack of 32 cards (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 of each suit), 28 cards (7's omitted), or 24 cards (7's and 8's omitted). The different decks may be chosen in the Game Settings.
The highest trump is the jack of the trump suit, called right bower. The second-highest trump is the jack of the other suit of the same color as the trump, called left bower. (Example: If diamonds are trumps, right bower is JD and left bower is JH.) The remaining trumps, and also the plain suits, rank as follows: A (high), K, Q, (J), 10, 9, 8, 7.

The cards are dealt to the left, beginning with eldest hand. Each player receives five cards. Turn to deal passes to the left.

On completing the deal, dealer places the rest of the pack in the center of the table and turns the top card face up. Should the turn-up be accepted as trump, regardless of by whom, dealer has the right to exchange the turn-up for any card in his hand.

Commencing with eldest hand, each player to the left has the option of passing or of accepting the turn-up for trump. Opponents or partner of the dealer accepts by saying "Order it up", dealer accepts by "Picking it up". If all four players pass in the first round, each hand in turn, commencing with eldest, has the option of passing again or of naming the trump suit. The rejected suit may not be named. If all four players pass in the second round, the cards are reshuffled and the next dealer in turn deals. Once the trump is fixed, either by acceptance of the turn-up or declaration after it is rejected, the bidding ends and play begins.

The player who fixes the trump suit has the option of playing alone, without help of his partner's cards. If he wishes to exercise this option, he must declare "alone" distinctly at the time he makes the trump. His partner then turns his cards face down and does not participate in the play.

The opening lead is made by eldest hand, or by the player at his left if partner of eldest hand is playing alone. Each hand must follow suit to a lead if able; if unable, the hand may trump or discard at will. A trick is won by the highest card of the suit led, or, if it contains trumps, by the highest trump. The winner of a trick leads to the next.

The object in play is to win at least three tricks. If the side that made the trump fails to get three tricks, it is said to be euchred. Winning all five tricks is called a march.

Two-hand Euchre
Reduce the pack to 24 cards by discarding the sevens and eights. Rules are as in Four-Hand Euchre, except that the declaration alone does not exist and score for march is 2 points.

Rubber Euchre
Rubber Euchre is played the same as Four-Hand except scoring is tracked by rubber points.
The first side to win two games wins the rubber. Each game counts for the side winning it; 3 rubber points if the losers' score in that game was 0 or less; 2 rubber points if the losers' score was 1 or 2; and 1 rubber point if the losers scored 3 or more. The winners' margin in the rubber is 2 points bonus, plus the winners' rubber points, minus the losers' rubber points.


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